Divorce has become both a blessing and a curse in our society. On the one hand, it is a precious good and great possibility to get away from a despotic and violent husband. On the other hand, the woman is likely to remain a victim: the victim of a society that regards divorced women as inferior, that will focus only on her failures and shortcomings and that will make her feel as if she was infected with a malicious virus. During therapy we try to address family problems before the relationship is destroyed. But I still explain to my patients that under some circumstances divorce is the only option for a better life. If we want to build a better tomorrow for us and our daughters, we have to face the harsh reality of our society. So I always tell them to be strong. Women's therapist from Kirkuk
Treating the Damage Women seeking help at our centers have various ethnic and religious backgrounds, come from different age groups, and are from economically stable and poor backgrounds. Yet, most of them report similar histories of violence and oppression, including domestic violence, sexual abuse and limitations of individual freedoms. All of them suffer from psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety or trauma. Between 2013 and 2014, we were able to help more than 1700 female patients. We provided them not only with psychological treatment and medical services but additionally offered social assistance and seminars on their rights. A huge number of individual success stories confirm that our approach can indeed ease pain and lead to empowered and self-determined lives.
THE PLIGHT OF YAZIDI WOMEN From the start, the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) has used a policy of gender-based and sexual violence. After capturing the town of Sinjar, IS terrorists sexually enslaved an estimated 5000 Yazidi women and girls. They have been abducted, raped, held captive in brothels, and sold in markets in Mosul and Raqqa. Some of them were able to escape and ed to the safe Kurdish region. Yet they are deeply traumatized, suicidal or physically impaired. Given the traditional codes of honor in Iraq, these returning women and girls are at risk of being rejected both by their families and society. With the support of private donors, the Jiyan Foundation has launched a program that will promote their rehabilitation and social reintegration.
Campaign for the protection of single and divorced women in Kurdistan
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